Kobe Bryant proved he can win a championship without Shaquille O'Neal, while
Phil Jackson became the all-time leader in NBA titles among coaches as the Los
Angeles Lakers finished off Orlando, 99-86 in Game 5 of the Finals. Despite
falling behind by nine points in the first quarter, the Lakers stepped on the
gas in the second, reeling off 16 unanswered points, a run keyed by Trevor
Ariza, and took a 56-46 lead at the half. The Lakers were in front by as many
as 18 in the second half and didn't allow the Magic a rally to send the series
back to Los Angeles. The 15 titles by the Lakers are two shy of Boston's all-
time record. It was also a sense of redemption for the Lakers, who lost in the
Finals to the Celtics last year. It's their first time raising the trophy
since 2002, the last of three consecutive championships. Bryant scored 30
points, and had six rebounds, five assists and four blocks in the clincher.
Lamar Odom tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Pau Gasol chipped in 14
points and 15 boards. Bryant, who averaged over 32 points during the Finals,
was named the MVP of the championship series. Jackson and Bryant each have
four crowns with the Lakers. For Jackson, his 10th championship surpassed the
legendary Red Auerbach for the most in history.